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+--- Thread: Farrington Park (/thread-307.html)
- noel - 20-Sep-2003
Bill Hawksworth has some wonderful photos of the area before it was developed. I'm afraid I accidentally deleted the ones he sent me but would love another copy Bill if you're reading this. They were taken in 1951 before the Tank Factory was completed. The path still runs between Carr Lane and Centurion Way but even this is now overgrown. There is a hairdressers shop still opposite the old mill entry, I think I have a photo and will send that also. It is quite frankly though a dump!!
- rocketmanjohn - 20-Sep-2003
Farington Mill was called 'Dewhursts Mill' in the 1960's, my wife worked there as a winder until we got married. I'll never forget the smell of cotton,it is so strong. I once visited and was surprised at how ancient the machinery was, all stood on wooden floors and driven by unguarded leather belts from an electric motor, the overhead line shafts were still in place but unused. These were often driven by water wheels in earlier times, which is why mills are often next to streams and rivers, but were converted to steam power in the mid 19th century, eventually getting electric power at the beginning of the 20th century.
John
- Sandieh - 21-Sep-2003
Hi Noel,After seeing the photo of Mill St and you saying it was all one way streets now, I cant help wondering what its like in the morning when people are going to work, most folk have cars these days, are there any traffic lights at the top of Mill st to let people out on to Stanifield lane? that was a busy road when I was last there. Thanks John, you answered a question I had about why the mills always had lodges beside them, do you remember Brook mill,? I used to take shortcuts home when I was at Leyland Methodist school and one was a passage beside some houses there was a large locked gate you could peep through and see the lodge for Brook mill. Sandie.
- skitzy - 21-Sep-2003
I'd love to see the photo of Mill St Noel, if you could let me have it. How do you get in to Mill St now do the cars have to go down Crown or Woodville st?
Eileen
- Karen - 21-Sep-2003
Me too please Noel.
My father was born in Mill Street.
Mr and Mrs Pemberton ran the shop/bakery at the bottom of Mill Street.
Their daughter Dorothy is one of my dearest friends and was a guest at my youngest, P.J.'s wedding last month... Dorothy and two of her brothers live here in B.C. Canada.
Ciao Karen
- noel - 21-Sep-2003
Well to answer all 3 , of course you can have photos. Karen I don't think I have your email address. If you send me a e-mail to [email protected] I'll get some sent along to you. Eileen also and Sandie I'll send one that shows how the traffic gets out the top. No traffic lights. They've narrowed the exit to half the size it was. The cars have to go down Crown St or Woodville st both of which are one way. Therefore anyone in Mill St. is going to have a heck of a lot of traffic passing their doors early morning. I helped my son to do his house up and I found the traffic noise disturbing. Also passing people . Another modern thing , there are allegedly a few druggies hanging around as well. John the belt driven motors were also a thing of the old BTR/Woodville Rubber plant on Golden Hill Lane. The early morning start up was quite something. "Everyone clear" sort of thing.
- skitzy - 21-Sep-2003
Thanks Noel. Is the old Conservative club still in use? We used to live directly opposite it at no 71.
Eileen
- rocketmanjohn - 22-Sep-2003
Sandieh
There are 2 things I remember about Brook Mill, nothing to do with cotton though. Leyland Paint used part of the mill to store paint and it set on fire, it was amazing to see cans of paint exploding through the roof and going like a rocket with a tracer behind it. The other was that B & R Taylor's used the canteen as a drawing office, there was always a smell of old fat and the place was freezing cold, it was mid winter at the time. We were all given a paraffin heater each which we used to sit on to keep warm, also we wore woolly gloves with the fingers cut out while we worked. Sounds a bit Dickensian, but was actually good fun, once we trimmed our wicks in a morning and got the heat flowing.
John
- noel - 22-Sep-2003
quote:
Originally posted by skitzy
Thanks Noel. Is the old Conservative club still in use? We used to live directly opposite it at no 71.
Eileen
Yes it is. My parents used to live at 58 looking right down Mill St.
- Sandieh - 23-Sep-2003
Hi Rocketman, I did`nt know much about Brook Mill, I seem to remember you had to go to the top of one of the streets to get in, or was that just the office? I`m trying to think who B&R Taylor were?
was`nt it during the 60s that a lot of people from Brook Mill went to South Africa?. Sandie.